Abstract: A system for levelling and gripping a jacket leg into a hollow foundation pile has a levelling assembly for adjusting the longitudinal axis of a jacket leg partially inserted in a hollow foundation pile with an actuation group arranged about the jacket leg and configured to exert a force parallel to the longitudinal axis between the upper edge of the hollow foundation pile and the jacket leg and selectively attachable to the jacket leg and recoverable for further use in another levelling assembly; and a gripping assembly for locking the jacket leg in a designated position with respect to the hollow foundation pile once leveled.

Abstract: An undersea anchor that includes a frame that is fixed to the seafloor by one or more pile anchors, for example grouted pile anchors. The frame is configured to permit it to function with one or more seabed drills to allow the pile anchor(s) to be installed at an angle relative to horizontal so the pile anchors can take horizontal and vertical loads.

Abstract: Floating TLP wind turbine comprising a buoyancy structure, a plurality of braces, one or more tensioned mooring lines for each brace, and a support structure arranged on the buoyancy structure. The braces extend radially outwardly from a region of the buoyancy structure or support structure, each brace having a distal end portion with respect to the buoyancy structure or support structure. Each distal end portion of the braces comprises a guiding element to allow a guided passage of a tensioned mooring line. Each of the tensioned mooring lines is anchored to the seabed at a first end, and attached/coupled to a region of the buoyancy structure or support structure at a second end, said region being above the region of the buoyancy structure or support structure from which the braces extend radially outwardly. Each tensioned mooring line is guided by the guiding element of the corresponding brace.

Abstract: A jackup deployed riser protection structure comprises a plurality of coupler receivers disposed onto a jackup hull, a tubular sleeve, wherein the tubular sleeve is a hollow structure that allows a riser to pass through, a support structure coupled with the tubular sleeve to provide support for the tubular sleeve, and a plurality of couplers coupled with the support structure, wherein each of the plurality of couplers is coupled with one of the plurality of coupler receivers, so that the jackup deployed riser protection structure is supported by the jackup hull in order to provide protection to the riser.

Abstract: An offshore support system comprises an offshore structure having a platform supported by one or more legs. The system further comprises a mat structure having a mat, and a clamp configured engage at least one leg of the offshore structure. The clamp is movable into and out of engagement with the leg to connect and release the mat to and from the offshore structure.

Abstract: The invention relates to a maintenance platform (1, 10) for an oil rig equipped with a work platform and at least three frame legs (2) b, particularly a jackup oil rig, wherein at least one corner module (6) having at least one platform can be moved along at least one frame leg (2) of the oil rig, wherein the at least one corner module (6) is equipped with at least one climbing unit (110), which positively interacts with at least one gearing system (4) that is arranged on the frame leg (2) in order to bring about an up or down movement of the at least one corner module (6) along the frame leg (2).

Abstract: An arrangement for fixing two concentric tubes (1, 2) together by means of one or more pressure inducing members, preferably each formed as a pad (6); the member acts to press the tubes together; a support (3), preferably formed as a collar fixed inside the outer tube (1), is provided opposite the or each location of the or each member. The support is designed to maintain the circularity of the inner tube so that it can be readily withdrawn from the outer tube without jamming. This is useful for off-shore installations.

Abstract: A jacking system (4) is described for a leg (3) of a jack-up platform (1). The jacking system comprises at least three independent yokes (7a-7d). Each independent yoke is connected to a jack-up structure by at least one vertically arranged double acting actuator (8a-8d?) and is equipped with a leg engaging mechanism such as a horizontally arranged movable locking pin (9a-9d), which is configured to engage or to disengage with a hole of the jack-up leg, in order to transfer a load (L) from the jack-up platform (1) to the leg (3), including a controller configured to operate the yokes (7a-7d) in a way that the leg (3) is moved by all the at least three yokes (7a-7d) in an alternating mode, such that at any moment in time during operation all but one of the at least three yokes (7a-7d) take the load (L) via the associated engaging mechanism, while the remaining yoke of the at least three yokes (7a-7d) makes a return stroke with its engagement mechanism in a disengaged position.

Abstract: A locking arrangement for selectively preventing displacement of a tubular article/load support structure (2) circumscribing the upstanding elongate support (1) and adapted for lengthways displacement along upstanding elongated support, wherein the tubular support structure (2) incorporates means (13) for releasably locking the tubular support structure against said lengthways displacement in such manner as to be able to maintain the article/load at any required position relative to the elongate support.

Abstract: A vessel is provided that is an improvement over previously disclosed jack-up rigs and lift boats. The vessel has at least three thrusters and is self-propelled. The vessel additionally has a raised and hollow crane support on which a crane may be mounted. The crane support is preferably affixed to tracks, which permit the crane to slide along the deck of the vessel. The raised and hollowed feature of the crane support permits the storage of equipment and things beneath the crane support without hindering the movement of the crane along the tracks. Optionally, the vessel further has an extension assembly atop which may be deployed a workover rig assembly. The crane may be used to assemble the extension assembly and thus aid in the construction, remediation, and demolition of offshore oil and gas platforms and wells.

Abstract: A maritime unit and a method for operating a maritime unit. The maritime unit includes a frame structure. The maritime unit includes at least three legs moveable between a standby position and an extended position. A jack mechanism moves the legs between the standby position and the extended position. The maritime unit has at least its legs operated on a disk brake principle for enabling a substantially stepless drive therefor, whereby the maritime unit has each of its legs provided with a brake system, including one or more brake flanges extending longitudinally of the leg. The maritime unit has its frame structure provided with a brake system including one or more brake shoe elements operable in a vertical direction with the jack mechanism.

Abstract: A self-elevating offshore structure supports a deck for production operations at sea in the absence of an elevating hull. A non-buoyant deck is supported by braces and truss legs above wave action. The legs move in relation to the legs and the braces, elevating the deck and the braces supporting the deck. The offshore structure is transported to a deployment site by a buoyant vessel and then released from the vessel once the legs are embedded into the sea bottom.

Abstract: A taut mooring system for use on a mobile offshore jack-up platform while it is in an elevated operating condition. The elevated operating condition is with the hull jacked up a safe distance above the highest anticipated wave crests, on vertically movable legs which extend to the ocean floor. The mooring system consists of: radially spaced mooring line attachment means on the structure of the platform; suction piles that are radially spaced around the platform, consistent with the radial spacing of the mooring line attachment means; and taut mooring lines which radially connect the suction piles to the attachment means. The flexibility of the taut mooring system provides the ability to coact with the platform's free standing storm resistance capabilities, yielding enhanced capabilities that will enable the platform to safely resist storm induced forces that the platform would not normally be capable of withstanding, and to enable the platform to be used with longer legs in deeper water.

Abstract: An apparatus for guiding the legs of a lift boat. Roller assemblies are used to guide the legs. The rollers may be placed at any location or in any number either vertically or around the leg to adequately center the leg. The roller can either have a metal surface that rolls along the leg or be coated with a resilient material. The base of the roller can either be rigidly mounted to the vessel or incorporate resilient material between the roller and the vessel. A means of adjusting the clearance between the leg and roller may be incorporated in the roller assembly.

Abstract: An apparatus for guiding the legs of a lift boat. Continuous track assemblies are used to guide the legs. The assemblies may be placed at any location or in any number vertically along the leg to adequately center the leg. The track assemblies are comprised of link plates 88, link pins, and track pads traveling around idlers. The track assemblies are mounted on rail structures.

Abstract: An appartus for guiding the legs of a lift boat. Roller assemblies are used to guide the legs. The rollers may be placed at any location or in any number either vertically or around the leg to adequately center the leg. The roller can either have a metal surface that rolls along the leg or be coated with a resilient material. The base of the roller can either be rigidly mounted to the vessel or incorporate resilient material between the roller and the vessel. A means of adjusting the clearance between the leg and roller may be incorporated in the roller assembly.

Abstract: An apparatus for drilling boreholes into the earth includes a mobile carrier with a frame that supports an elongated housing. The housing has upper and lower end portions. An drill pipe section holder is positioned at the lower end of a tubular member rotatably mounted in the housing for holding a drill pipe section and rotating it during placement. A plurality of drive wheels carried by the frame transport the housing between upper and lower positions. The wheels are loaded with adjustable compression springs so that extensive pressure can be applied from the drive wheels to the housing for gripping and driving the housing during insertion. A gear train interconnects the driving wheels so that all of the driving wheels rotate at the same rotational speed. Water is supplied to the housing via a bore that communicates with openings and a bore of the tubular member. The tubular member bore conveys the water to multiple sections of drill pipe (i.e.

Abstract: An offshore platform assembly includes a platform 12, four legs 10 and four footings 18. Each leg 10 is coupled to the platform by upper and lower bearings which are pivotable in a direction of inclination of the legs, the upper bearing being fixed with respect to translational movements, whilst the lower bearing can slide in a plane common with the plane of the platform 12. In an alternative embodiment, the lower bearing may be fixed and the upper bearing sliding. This assembly enables the platform to be used in high waters and prevents bending of the legs, which can occur with prior art systems.

Abstract: The present invention has at least one rack chock which is supported pivotally and tiltably at one end by a pin and cross head assembly located at a position between at least one leg rack and the hull of the platform. The other end of the rack chock is connected to the jack foundation with an actuator assembly. The pin and cross head assembly is disposed slidably within a guide for permitting the teeth of the rack chock to engage the leg rack teeth without visual monitoring and manual control. The actuator assembly connected to the other end of the rack chock controls the swinging movement of the rack chock and its engagement and disengagement with the leg rack. A pair of jacks urges upper and lower wedges with tiltable surfaces converging onto the rack chord's upper and lower surfaces, thus obtaining a optimal surface to arrest the relative movement between the rack chock and the leg rack.

Abstract: An offshore platform assembly includes a platform 12, four legs 10 and four footings 18. Each leg 10 is coupled to the platform by upper and lower bearings which are pivotable in a direction of inclination of the legs, the upper bearing being fixed with respect to translational movements, whilst the lower bearing can slide in a plane common with the plane of the platform 12. In an alternative embodiment, the lower bearing may be fixed and the upper bearing sliding. This assembly enables the platform to be used in high waters and prevents bending of the legs, which can occur with prior art systems.

Abstract: A device for releasing of a frozen screw pressed against a contact surface uses a compression disc pre-loaded to an anticipated amount of deflection prior to mounting between the contact surface and the screw. The disc has an insert formed from a granulated material mixed with a water soluble binder, allowing to wash out the insert and cause collapse of the disc, so as to break the connection between the contact surface and the screw.

Abstract: A pile gripper which uniformly engages a plurality of gripper teeth against a pile during engagement and uniformly retracts those same gripper teeth during disengagement is described. In one embodiment, the pile gripper is comprised of a an elastomeric bag, a plurality of segments arranged circumferentially on the pile-side of the gripper's structure, and a plurality of segment retraction elements. Each segment has a plurality of teeth which are used to "grip" an anchor pile. Segment teeth direction may alternate from segment to segment or segment group to segment group. Each segment group comprises a plurality of N segments, and each segment in a segment group is operatively coupled via grouping bars to the other segments in the segment group.

Abstract: An output gear is on an elongate sheath capable of withstanding torsion between its ends. The sheath is equipped with a device for measuring the torque borne by the gear. The device for measuring the torque comprises a bar which extends through the sheath, fixed to the sheath at one end and equipped at the other end with a lever in contact with at least one linear displacement sensor, preferably of the inductive coupling type. The sensor can supply data to a central unit for collecting all data gathered from each output gear. The central unit comprises a computer for determining a mean torque value, and optionally, the weight of the platform to be established, and a controller for automatically controlling the plurality of maneuvering mechanisms.

Abstract: A Heave-Restrained Platform and Drilling System (HRP/DS) comprises a floating structure having a central buoyancy means, at least three out-rigger columns, and a hybrid mooring system in which a spread (lateral) mooring system functions with an array of tensioned production risers (serving as a vertical tension leg) to keep the structure generally over a specified seabed location. The HRP/DS provides a means for drilling and producing through oil wells in deep water such that critical pressure containment means are achieved with safe, redundant barriers and systems similar to those employed on shallow water fixed platforms.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for releasably connecting an offshore structure to a piling is disclosed. After the tubular piling is installed through the leg of the structure, a piston drives a gripping plate toward the piling until the plate firmly grips the piling. A joint between the piston and the plate accommodates variable angles between the piston and the gripping plate. More than one piston can be associated with each plate, and more than one plate may be used to selectively position the piling relative to the structure. The pistons can be manipulated to retract the gripping plates so that the pilings can be withdrawn from the structure.

Abstract: The floating structure has limited heave oscillations. A long member has a lower end coupled to the seabed. An extensible tensioner is coupled between a platform deck and the upper end of the long member. The tensioner suspends the upper end of said long member and applies a predetermined tension thereto. The tensioner includes anti-heave force-exerting means for exerting downward-acting forces on the floating structure.

Abstract: Gripper devices are installed in the spudwells of a platform or causeway section and manually operated to grip the pile to suspend the platform or causeway section in a level position on the piles. Each gripper device has a cylindrical bowl with a flat mounting flange at the bottom end. The bowl has large central bore extending from the top end and terminating in a smaller bore at the bottom end defining a shoulder therebetween. A series of circumferentially spaced actuator segments having a vertical outer wall and a radial flange at the top end are mounted within the bowl by bolts for vertical movement relative to the bowl. The actuator segments have a downwardly and radially outwardly tapered interior wedging surface with a T-shaped slot extending along the wedging surface. A series of slip segments have a toothed interior surface for gripping the pile and a tapered exterior wedging surface corresponding to the wedging surface of the actuator segments.

Abstract: The orientatable blocking unit for the support of structures on cylindrical elements is composed of a lower annular body, secured to the structure, in which the lower body there is present an upper annular body, coaxial with it in at-rest conditions, secured to an intermediate annular body by means of a pair of aligned, radial pins, which intermediate body is, in turn, secured to the lower annular body by means of a second pair of aligned, radial pins, perpendicular to the first pair. This permits, in operating conditions, the free orientation of the axis of the upper body with respect to that of the lower body. The upper body possesses an internal surface on which there are present a plurality of upwardly converging slide seats, in which there are slidably supported movable jaws, equipped internally with members for coupling by friction to a tubular column. Elastic members effect translatory movement of the jaws from a lowered, unblocking position to a raised, blocking position, radially gripping the column.

Abstract: The floating structure has a structural frame and a long member which has a lower end anchored to the seabed. The structural frame has limited heave motion relative to the long member. An extensible tensioner is between the frame and the long member. Mechanical brakes apply braking forces against the long member only when the floating structure heaves up. The brakes are inactive when the floating structure heaves down.

Abstract: Tubular jacket legs of an offshore platform used for petroleum recovery operations are secured to respective internally positioned cylindrical pilings which extend into the sea bed. Each of the jacket legs is mechanically connected to a piling by an arcuate gripping member and a plurality of piston assemblies circumferentially and axially spaced about the jacket leg. Each piston assembly includes a housing fixedly secured to the jacket leg at a preselected angle, a piston slidably movable within the housing, an end cap threadably secured to the housing for maintaining a radially directed force on the piston, and a pivot member at the end of the piston for applying a uniform force from the gripping member to the piling. The substantial force exerted by the piston assemblies structurally interconnects the platform to the pilings, and the annulus between each jacket leg and piling need not be grouted.

Abstract: A diverless system for levelling a template adjacent the floor of a body of water comprising a plurality of fluid-pressure activated gripping assemblies pivotally coupled to the template and receiving the supporting piles therein, with portions of the piles extending above the template; and a jacking assembly capable of being lowered down each of the piles, releasably connected to the template adjacent the associated gripping assembly and raising or lowering the template in the area each of each pile to level the template. The jacking assembly comprises an outer housing, and a double acting hydraulic piston slidably received in the housing, with a pile gripping assembly being coupled to the piston. The gripping assembly in the jacking assembly and those in the template are each formed from a plurality of ring segments that are serrated on the inside and have tapered ribs on the outside, these segments being received in a bowl having corresponding tapered ribs.

Abstract: A system for levelling a template adjacent the floor of a body of water comprising a plurality of gripping assemblies pivotally coupled to the template and receiving the supporting piles therein, with portions of the piles extending above the template; and a jacking assembly capable of being lowered down each of the piles, releasably connected to the template adjacent the associated gripping assembly and raising or lowering the template in the area of each pile to level the template. The jacking assembly comprises an outer housing, and a double acting hydraulic piston slidably received in the housing, with a pile gripping assembly being coupled to the piston. The gripping assembly in the jacking assembly and those in the template are each formed from a plurality of ring segments that are serrated on the inside and have tapered ribs on the outside, these segments being received in a bowl having corresponding tapered ribs.

Abstract: Clamping device having clamping members cooperating via a pressure area and an intermediate member with a pressure member, the intermediate member consisting of a slide member having a cross section in the form of a segment of a circle, a plane surface cooperating with the pressure area and a circular arc-shaped surface in a corresponding seating provided in the associated clamping or pressure member.

Abstract: A temporary rig of the jack-up type for oil and gas exploration. The rig is towed to a selected site where the legs are lowered to the ocean floor and the deck is raised out of the water. Piles are then pushed into the ocean floor by a series of extensions of hydraulic jacks to anchor the legs. The piles can be pulled up by contracting the jacks in a similar manner so that the rig can be moved to a new location. The jacking mechanisms move within pile guides that form parts of the legs.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for elevating a prefabricated, offshore, well-drilling or other platform on a prefabricated upright support in deep water. The platform is elevated by jacking units on a platform having legs suspended from a superstructure on the support. The upright support is stabilized against wind and wave action by four guy lines anchored at one end to the sea bottom and connected at its opposite end to the drum of winches mounted on two of the caissons. There are two drums in each of the two caissons. Each drum is connected to one guy line and is separately driven by a remotely controlled, reversible hydraulic motor. The motors are operated to maintain the support vertical and the fottings equally loaded; otherwise, uneven penetration of the footings into the sea bed would result. The guy lines are always tensioned against marine and wind forces.The platform is buoyant and has four open caisson wells arranged in the same geometric pattern as the caissons of the support.

Abstract: Piles that anchor off-shore oil and gas well towers are driven into the ground by successive extensions of a hydraulic jacking cylinder. The cylinder is positioned under water, just above the pile, and secured to an adjacent column to prevent it from moving upwardly. Preferably, the column is formed by a casing releasably latched to a selected pile-receiving guide at the bottom of the tower, the pile extending upwardly into the casing.

Abstract: An off-shore platform of the self-erecting type has a floating deck provided with legs which can be raised and lowered and on which the platform is jacked up after they rest on a base structure placed onto the ocean floor. Each of the legs is guided within the deck in two vertically spaced bearings, the upper one of which is universally yieldable so that the leg can pivot about a center point of this bearing and the lower one of which is yieldable only in radial direction and provided with an annular space surrounding the leg and into which compressible or incompressible flowable medium can be introduced at will so as to allow the bearing either to yield or else to prevent it from yielding.

Abstract: A tube closure for use in a pile or leg connectable to the inside of a pile or leg between the ends of a pile or leg to divide the pile or leg into separate compartments to permit control flooding of each compartment. A locking ring is installed in the inside of the pile or leg to allow engagement of locking dogs with the pile or leg to limit longitudinal movement of the closure system through the pile or leg. The locking dogs are operably connected to a hub which when lifted moves the locking dogs away from the locking ring to disengage the system. An inflatable rubber packer is formed around the closure to seal off the area between the closure and the inner wall of the pile or leg. Once the piling or leg is in location, the rubber packer is deflated and the system is removed by a wire line which lifts a hub secured to the dogs to move the dogs out of engagement with the locking ring before lifting the assembly from its position.